Do Weight Fluctuations Affect Your Singing Voice?

It's no myth that changes in your body weight can affect your singing voice and your vocal cords.

Some people won't hear any difference when their weight changes, but others may hear pretty extreme changes in the tone of their voice.

Beyond vocal tone, changes in weight can affect your vocal agility, breath support, and the clarity of your voice. 

Does Your Voice Change When You Gain Weight?

In some cases, people report hearing changes in their voices when they gain weight. According to the Director of the Division of Voice and Laryngology, Dr. Reena Gupta, the change differs for men and women.

Extra weight results in increased production and storage of female and male hormones. In men, this can result in their voices getting lighter. For women, this can result in their voices getting heavier. 

In general, gaining weight also adds difficulty to breathing and vocal clarity, depending on the severity of a person's obesity. This means breath support can be an issue when you gain weight and cause your vocal phrases to be less smooth.

There is also a chance that the extra weight around your neck can muffle the clarity of your voice if you are severely overweight. 

Does Your Voice Change When You Lose Weight?

On the flip side, losing weight may lighten your voice if you're a female and deepen your voice if you're a male. If you're not losing a dramatic amount of weight, likely, you won't notice a difference at all in your voice.

If you were severely obese before the weight loss, you might notice more clarity in your tone. You may even notice more ease in your vocal agility when it comes to singing fast.

You will also notice that you will be able to strengthen your breath support abilities.

You will be able to easily make it through long sung phrases and hold beautiful high and low notes longer, which will increase the emotional resonance of your performances.

These notes can also come out more richly when you are able to expand your chest with more ease to fully support the notes. Good breath support also helps you to change between your chest voice and head voice more fluidly. 

Related Post: Does Singing Burn Calories?

Does Your Voice Change Due To Pregnancy?

Many studies from scientists and accounts from singers who were pregnant have reported that women's voices temporarily got lower after the pregnancy. It may be an exciting idea for you to be able to hit rich low notes!

Sopranos may lose their higher range for a while and become altos. 

Altos may lose their upper range and be able to hit notes in the tenor range that they could never hit before. This isn't guaranteed to happen to all singers, but it is fairly common. 

The change is not permanent and has been reported to go away within a year after the pregnancy. Doctors speculate that this is a change in hormones that occurs for women to have a more authoritative voice when talking to their babies in the first year.

This deepening can start at the beginning of the pregnancy. Lead researcher Dr. Kasia Pisanski of the University of Sussex's School of Psychology shared:

"Our results show that, despite some singers noticing that their voices get lower while pregnant, the big drop actually happens after they give birth."

After a year or so, your voice will likely go back to its higher range over time, and you'll be able to effortlessly hit sweet high notes again if that's your thing.

If you plan to perform during your pregnancy or during the first year of you're child's life, you can simply opt for changing the key of your songs to a few notes lower for your comfort. 

Conclusion

In conclusion, weight fluctuations can indeed affect your singing voice, from vocal tone to breath support and clarity.

When you gain weight, hormonal changes can result in voice alterations and can make breathing and vocalization more challenging.

And on the other hand, shedding excess weight can improve vocal clarity, enhance vocal agility, and strengthen breath support.

Ultimately, maintaining a healthy lifestyle and being mindful of how weight fluctuations may impact your singing can help you maintain vocal quality and performance capabilities.

Maintaining a healthy weight is beneficial for your overall health, including your vocal health. Incorporate a well-balanced diet rich in fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and whole grains to provide essential nutrients for your body and voice.

Regular exercise, such as cardio and strength training, can help you maintain a healthy weight and improve overall stamina and breath control for singing.

Remember, the goal is not to obsess over achieving a specific weight or body size but to prioritize overall health and well-being.

Consult with a healthcare professional or registered dietitian to develop a personalized plan that suits your individual needs and supports your vocal performance.

By embracing a healthy lifestyle, you can enhance your vocal capabilities, increase your endurance during performances, and promote long-term vocal health alongside managing weight fluctuations.